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Government Funding of Abortion Debated

April 7, 1997
By: Elizabeth J. zack
State Capital Bureau On the heels of the senate decision to vote down partial birth abortion, the House Committee on Critical Issues reveiwed legislation that would permit government funding of abortion in cases of rape and incest.

Liz Zack has the story from Jefferson City.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC The Critical Issues Committee heard testimony on Monday night from abortion rights supporters who applauded the expansion of government abortion funding.

Missouri law currently stipulates that government may fund abortions only in cases where the mother's life is in jeopardy.

Expanding this funding to cases of rape and incest, or cases where the death of the fetus is imminent, was morally reprehensible to some committee members.

Representative Pat Kelly:

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue: "taking of a human life"
Contents: Representative Kelly doesn't believe in government funding of what he considers to be the termination of human life.

Unlike the decisive vote in the senate, no committee vote was taken on expansion of funding.

From the state capitol, I'm Liz Zack.

Just hours after the Senate voted down partial birth abortion, the House Committee on Critical Issues reviwed a bill that would make government funded abortion legal in cases of rape, incest, and high medical risk for the mother.

Liz Zack has the story from Jefferson City.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC As the law stands now, government funded abortion exists only in cases where the life of the mother is in jeopardy.

The proposed legislation would expand that support to include cases of rape, incest, and other instances where hospital supervision is imperative.

Monday night's discussion came down to fundamental differences on the issue of abortion.

Representative Pat Kelly:

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue: "Taking of a human life"
Contents: [92K WAV file - Representative Kelly doesn't believe in government funding of what he considers the taking of a human life. ]

Unlike the senate's decisive action voting down partial birth abortion, the Critical Issues Committee did not vote on funding expansion.

From the state capitol, I'm Liz Zack